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Sigesbeckia orientalis Extract Ameliorates the Experimental Diabetic Nephropathy by Downregulating the Inflammatory
Chung-Ming Chen1,2, Jer-Yiing Houng3,4, Tsui-Ling Ko5
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
Insights
Sigesbeckia orientalis extract (SOE) shows promise in protecting kidneys from diabetic nephropathy. This traditional Chinese medicine demonstrates antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, mitigating kidney damage caused by high blood sugar and oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pharmacology
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus complications, including diabetic nephropathy, are increasing globally.
- Oxidative stress and inflammation are key contributors to diabetic kidney disease progression.
- Microvascular damage in the kidneys is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of Sigesbeckia orientalis extract (SOE) against diabetic nephropathy.
- To evaluate the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of SOE in a mouse model of diabetes.
- To assess SOE's impact on renal injury, oxidative stress markers, and microvascular status.
Main Methods:
- Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mouse model was used.
- Three groups were studied: control (CTR), diabetic (DM), and diabetic treated with SOE (DMRx).
- Morphological analyses and immunohistochemical assessments of kidney tissues were performed.
Main Results:
- Diabetic mice (DM) exhibited significantly lower body weight and higher blood sugar compared to controls.
- The DM group showed more severe renal injury, including glomerular and tubular damage, and increased connective tissue.
- SOE treatment (DMRx) attenuated renal disturbances, reduced oxidative stress markers (8-hydroxyguanosine), and modulated inflammatory factors and microvascular biomarkers.
Conclusions:
- Sigesbeckia orientalis extract (SOE) possesses significant antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.
- SOE effectively protects against or attenuates diabetic nephropathy by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
- SOE demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for managing diabetic kidney disease and associated vascular damage.
Abstract:
Diabetes in children and its complications are on the rise globally, which is accompanied by increasing in diabetes-related complications. Oxidative stress and inflammation induced by elevated blood sugar in diabetic patients are considered risk factors associated with the development of diabetes complications, including chronic kidney disease and its later development to end-stage renal disease. Microvascular changes within the kidneys of DM patients often lead to chronic kidney disease, which aggravates the illness. Sigesbeckia orientalis extract (SOE), reported to have strong antioxidative and excellent anti-inflammatory activities, is used in the modern practice of traditional Chinese medicine. Kidneys from three groups of control mice (CTR), mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes (DM), and mice with STZ-induced DM treated with SOE (DMRx) were excised for morphological analyses and immunohistochemical assessments. Only mice in the DM group exhibited significantly lower body weight, but higher blood sugar was present. The results revealed more obvious renal injury in the DM group than in the other groups, which appeared as greater glomerular damage and tubular injury, sores, and plenty of connective tissues within the mesangium. Not only did the DM group have a higher level of cytokine, tumor necrosis factor, and the oxidative stress marker, 8-hydroxyguanosine expression, but also factors of the nuclear factor pathway and biomarkers of microvascular status had changed. Disturbances to the kidneys in DMRx mice were attenuated compared to the DM group. We concluded that SOE is an effective medicine, with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory abilities, to protect against or attenuate diabetic nephropathy from inflammatory disturbances by oxidative stress and to cure vessel damage in a hyperglycemic situation.
